Google Pixel 9 Pro Gets A Surprise Release Date Reveal And Teaser Video

In a surprising move, Google will be announcing (at least) the Google Pixel 9 Pro sooner than expected. Previous Pixels were released at the end of the year, but a video by Google itself points to an August drop instead. Just in time for back-to-school gear shopping, then (and also on the heels of Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked event in July).

Direct from the horse's mouth, the Google Pixel 9 Pro (and/or the Pro XL) will be announced in August this year. In the teaser, Google begins with the "Google Pixel" moniker, then sneakily fades out leaving just "IX" in view. This is accompanied by the silhouette of the upcoming smartphone with curved corners and a more refined version of the trademark camera bar, especially the one found on the Pixel 8 Pro. There's also a quick hint of three camera lenses, which point to either the Pro or Pro XL.

Finally, the video fades in Roman numerals "VIII-XIII-MMXXIV." Even if your Latin is rusty, it's not hard to decode this as "August 13, 2024". According to some folks in the industry, Google has been sending out invites to a Made by Google event on that date where it'll "showcase the best of Google AI, Android software and the Pixel portfolio of devices". 

Since the first Pixel (apart from the A-series), Google has traditionally launched its phones towards the end of the year. Most often, these newly-announced devices would go on sale, quickly followed by heavy discounts coinciding with Christmas, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday shopping.

We're not 100-percent sure why Google is moving up the device launch, but it could simply be down to profit. Having a larger time buffer between Summer and Winter allows the phone(s) to sell closer to MSRP for a longer period. The shift in release date could also be beneficial for the A-series. Normally released around Q2 each year, subsequent A-series phones could add nice capstones for Google's model cycle.

So far, circulating rumors say that the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro will be accompanied by a new larger Pro XL model. Screen sizes is said to be in the order of 6.24-inches, 6.34-inches, and 6.73-inches respectively. The regular Pixel 9 will sport twin rear cameras, whereas the Pro and Pro XL will have triple camera setups. Google Gemini is expected to be heavily featured in these Tensor G4-powered devices.